Doubletree



(No Model.)

J. W. SHEPPERD.'

DOUBLETREE.

No. 602,478. Patented Apr. 19, 1898.

@y /Ls e/zlilorgeys,

Unire Armar rrrcn.

JOHN W. SI-IEPPERD, OF CHARITON, IOIVA.

DOUBLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,478, dated April 19, 1898.

Application filed August 12, 1897. Serial No. 647,995.v (No model.)

To all wtont it 77u03/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. SHEPPERD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chariton, in the county of Lucas and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Doubletree, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to doubletrees, its object being to provide a doubletree formed of a bar of steel or iron curved around at its ends to form bearings or points of attachment for the hammer-straps intended to brace the bolts by which the singletrees are connected to the doubletree.

Vith this and other objects in view the iuvention consists of the several details of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a doubletree and singletrees'embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through one end of the doubletree. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one end of the doubletree and a singletree.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several gures.

l indicates the tongue or pole of a wagon, l

and 2 the doubletree, which consists of a comparatively thin bar of iron orsteel of sufficient width to withstand any tendency to bend in the middle when draft is applied to its ends.

3 indicates a brace, preferably of spring metal, which is secured at its ends to the doubletree and engages the lower face of the tongue.

4 indicates a hammer-strap secured at one end to the tongue in the usual manner, with its other end overhanging the doubletree, and 5 is a bolt which passes through the hammerstrap, the doubletree, the tongue, and the brace. The brace extends straight from the bolt 5 in opposite directions for a distance sufcient to permit the pivotal movement of the doubletree on the bolt 5 without interference by the brace and is then bent upwardly and then outwardly, as indicated at 6, and secured at its ends to the doubletree by bolts or rivets 6. The brace 5 serves to hold the doubletree level and also to prevent rattling between the tongue and doubletree.

Each end of the doubletree is bent or curved, as indicated at 7, to'form a short arm 8, which lies substantially parallel with the doubletree and on one side thereof, with a space between them.

9 indicates a hammer-strap, and lO an ear, both of which are connected to the end of the arm 8, one above and the other below it, by a pin or bolt Il. The hammer-strap projects across the space between the arm 8 and the doubletree and overhangs the latter, and the ear l0 projects from the arm 8 in the opposite direction, and when necessary can turn on the pin Il. The ear l0 is provided with a slot or other perforation 12 to receive one end of a strap or chain, which will be secured at its other end to a fixed part of the vehicle to limit the movement of the doubletree in a forward direction.

13 indicates the singletree, which is seated between the doubletree and the overhanging end of the hammer-strap 9, and 14 indicates a bolt which passes through alining perforations in the hammer-strap, the sin gletree, and the doubletree.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a neat, strong, and durable doubletree which, being much thinner than the ordinary wooden doubletree, puts the draft more directly in line with the weight and relieves the bolt, which secures the doubletree to the tongue, from excessive strain at its upper end. Also that by curving the ends of the doubletree around to form the arms 8 and securing the hammer-straps to these arms the singletrees and the hammer-straps both pull on the doubletree. The openings or perforations for the pivots of the singletrees are located directly in advance of the curved terminals of the doubletree, which terminals are extended inward laterally, and the slotted ears, which are located at the lower faces of the curved ends of the doubletree, are pivoted and capable of independent movement, and the draft on the singletrees will not twist the pivots.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is The combination with a pole, of a double IOO forations of the singletrees and the donbl'ej tree, fastening devices securing the rear ends of the hammer-straps to the curved ends of the doubletree, rearwardly-extending slotted ears arranged on the lower faces of" the ends of the doubletree and secured to the same by the said fastening devices, and the brace 3 arranged on the lower face of the pole, connected to the same by the pivot of the doubletree and having its terminals bent upward and secured to the lower face of the doubletree at opposite sides of the pole, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. SHEPPERD.

Witnesses:

C. A. VANoE, WILL B. BAYER. 

